“It’s important to us to figure out how to provide a quality product at an affordable, sustainable price,” says Cody Jorgensen of Jorgensen Land & Cattle (JLC) at Ideal, S.D. “I’m not sure that $5,000 bulls are sustainable.”

More than anything, that’s why JLC transitioned from leasing a handful of bulls 15 years ago, to leasing and marketing more than 3,000 bulls today.

Up front, rid your mind about the negative connotations some associate with bull leasing. “There’s a cowherd behind these bulls, a genetic philosophy and discipline,” Jorgensen explains.

Rather than worry whether consumers will continue to pay more for beef, Mark Gardiner of Gardiner Angus Ranch (GAR) at Ashland, Kan., believes the concern should be about how satisfied consumers are with the beef they purchase at any price.

“Whether it’s a hamburger or a high-value steak, it needs to satisfy what consumers expect,” Gardiner says. “There are too many making genetic decisions without the end product in mind.”

GAR has collected carcass data since 1970. It has fed tens of thousands of customer calves. It was a founding member of U.S. Premium Beef (USPB), considered by many to be the single most effective and successful value-added alliance in beef history.

Bob Funk, Express owner, began his seedstock operation in 1989 with the Limousin breed, and added Angus in 1994. By 2010, based on customer demand and return-on-investment, they phased out Limousin, grew their Angus involvement and began developing a Hereford program.

Investment priority at Express Ranches also includes agricultural youth. They’ve awarded more than $2.5 million in scholarships since the operation began.

“Mr. Funk established the scholarship program in memory of his father and because of is belief in America’s youth and education,” Callahan explains.

Based at Wellington, CO, LCoC is the latest chapter in a legacy of seedstock pioneering that began with Lee’s grandfather, Leland, who was partners with Allan Ryan in the storied Ankony Angus program. After Ankony dispersed, Leland and his brother, Lester, Leland’s son, Jim, and Myron Fuerst partnered in Ankony Hyland.

Committed to quality, integrity and service, 44 Farms was established in 1909 in Cameron, Texas. Today, four generations later and with many more ranch helpers, 44 Farms continues the pioneering spirit which it was founded on. They strive for innovation and a positive customer experience through their Angus herd.

44 Farms’ Angus Strong genetic program is committed to providing relevant genetics to fellow cattle producers, and ensuring success through premiums and profits for producers in order to run a profitable business. Calving ease, high growth rates and carcass merit are all utilized in the 44 Farms genetic program.

Sutphin Cattle is located in southeastern Colorado and always welcomes visitors. The goal of Sutphin Cattle is to provide superior genetics by continually stacking low birth weights with high weaning and yearling weights while maintaining maternal traits.

Within the scenic Nebraska Sandhills lies Connealy Angus. Marty and Donnie Connealy began raising Angus cattle in 1961, and continue to live out the ranching tradition with their son Jerry, his wife Sharon, and their children. Jerry and Sharon's oldest son, Jed, and his wife, Kara, remain involved with the ranch with their two sons – Cian and Colin.

Lone Creek Cattle's hopes to expand the Piedmontese cattle breed through bull development, verified procurement of feeder and finished cattle, and built-in support for ranchers across the Midwest. They focus on raising healthy animals through responsible stockmanship and animal husbandry, diligent resource management, and farm-to-fork traceability.

Sale Dates: February 12; February 19; March 3; April 7; May 19; October 20; November 17; December 8

Sale Type: Auction, Private Treaty

Number of Bulls Sold: 980

Replacement Heifers: Yes, 420 sold

Located in central Montana, Ludvigson Stock Farms produces Red Angus Red Hybrid bulls and females. Ludvigson Stock Farms and its sister company LN Cattle Company is owned and managed by the Ludvigson family made up of Joan Ludvigson, Park and Darla Ludvigson and Ryan and Jenny Ludvigson along with Steve and Shelley Newberry.

They operate an advanced genetic center in Iowa where embryo production is used domestically and internationally as well as maintain herds of Red Angus in Bismarck, North Dakota and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ludvigson Stock Farms develops and sells bulls in Shepherd, Mont., Center, N.D. and Butler, Mo.

“Number one, we’re trying to make 2,000 cows that are all the same – same teats and udder structure, same leg structure, same body type, same calving ease,” explains Brett DeBruycker of DeBruycker Charolais at Dutton, Mont. “We want to make it so that our customers can’t see any differences between the first bull in our sale and the 550th bull.”

“We’ve never based our herd off of EPDs, ultrasound measurements or any of those things. We’ve always focused on the quality of the cow, the cow type, believing that type of cow would yield the right type of bull for our customers,” DeBruycker explains. “We’ve never selected for a single trait. We make sure it’s the right type of cow for the environment. We work very hard to keep them balanced.”

Pharo Cattle Company is located in the central high plains of eastern Colorado, which is short-grass country with few trees and limited precipitation. It is in that rugged and demanding climate near Cheyenne Wells that Kit and Deanna Pharo developed their concept of genetics that make the most efficient use of their available forage resources.

Kit, Deanna and their son Tyson produce seedstock cattle in four breeds – Red Angus, Black Angus, Hereford, Tarentaise and composites of these breeds. They specialize in producing cows that are of moderate size (frame score of 3-5 with mature weight of 1,000-1,200 lbs.); easy-fleshing with an ability to maintain good body condition on limited feed resources; and structurally sound.

“I think there will be more consolidation moving forward and I think there will be more differentiation between winners and losers,” says John Burbank, CEO of Seedstock Plus at St. Catharine, Mo.

That’s his estimation of near-future opportunities for commercial and seedstock producers. It’s also the grounds of need and opportunity on which Seedstock Plus was forged 17 years ago.

Seedstock Plus is a member-based seedstock organization. Many on the current roster were founding members, including operations that were already hosting successful production and bull sales. Other members are building toward that kind of size. Through strategic cooperation all believe they can provide customers with more service than they can individually.

“Success will be determined by the results of the cattle,” says Rob Thomas of Thomas Angus Ranch (TAR) at Baker City, Ore. “It’s become such a data-driven, small world. Buyers know exactly what they’re buying.”

Thomas is talking about their own genetics, those of other seedstock producers, as well as cattle grown and marketed by commercial producers.

“Linking you with all your livestock needs,” Cattle Plus has you covered!

Whether it be for livestock sales, ranch real estate, industry news, or Montana Angus ranches, Cattle Plus is the corporate website that will link customers to where they are interested in being directed.

A fifth generation family ranching business producing quality cattle and Quarter Horses since 1895, R.A Brown Ranch is run by Donnell and Kellie Brown, and focuses on the Angus, Red Angus, Sim-Angus and Hotlander breeds. They developed the Hotlander composite during the 1980s with the help of Dr. Keith Gregory of the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center and Dr. Ronnie Green with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Detailed records are kept on over 1,000 seedstock cows. “We are continually striving to improve the efficiency of converting God’s forage into great-tasting, nutritious beef to better feed His people. At R.A. Brown Ranch, we strive to provide excellent quality cattle made up of sound genetics from the breed leaders. We want our customers to succeed as we do, and we are here to help in any way we can.”

"The Carcass Cattle Company--Predictable, Profitable Performance” is the motto of Eaton Charolais. Eaton Ranch was established over 100 years ago. Today, eastern Montana is home to the main cowherd. Eaton Ranch focuses on quality rather than quantity, placing emphasis on structure, frame size and broody cattle. With a consistent increase in demand for line-bred heifers, the ETN family began selling replacements by private treaty to progressive purebred customers.

Since its beginning in 1924, Diamond Peak Cattle has grazed over 2,800 cows in northwestern Colorado. Specializing in the Angus breed, Diamond Peak markets over 500 registered and Diamond commercial bulls annually.

“The Diamond Peak Cattle Company (DPCC) breeding program is designed around fundamentally sound genetic principles where the cattle must perform in the harsh western high-altitude environment. The use of large numbers and ruthless culling allows us to provide a high quality, functional product."

Launched in 2009, GENETRUST is an alliance of ranches dedicated to the common goal of providing a superior genetic product. The concept behind GENETRUST was conceived by a group of Brangus breeders in an impromptu meeting to discuss the benefits and strengths of their breed. It was evident that the Brangus breed possessed the genetic strengths and advantages that created a tremendous opportunity for the breed to have a greater influence on the future of beef cattle production. Sensing a major opportunity in the breed, those first initial discussions, led 10 of the breed’s leading genetic suppliers to join forces with a common goal to create a unique genetic alliance.

Shaw Cattle has been centered in Idaho for three generations, beginning with Herefords and now with Angus and Red Angus genetics. As seedstock producers, the Shaw family believes in improving their herd in their natural environment, and is dedicated to producing quality, performance cattle based on multi-trait selection.

Stevenson Angus is built on functional and lasting genetics. Stevenson Angus Ranch operates in Hobson, Mont., and is “Home of America’s Longest Established Annual Bull Sale.” They believe that high-quality cattle should be offered at affordable prices. They understand that “Stevenson Angus customers purchase better seedstock for their dollars invested.”

Stevenson Diamond Dot is located in central Montana and sells seedstock Angus bulls with a focus on commerical producers. They pride themselves in having durable cattle that can weather the extremes known for their area and select cattle for growth, docility, effeciency and carcass. They have two annual sales each year and also sell bulls and replacements via private treaty all year.

Customer service and industry connections is what drives McCabe Genetics of Elk City, Kansas. McCabe Genetics is a family operation. Randy and Varee McCabe along with their sons Ethan and Flinton, and Flinton's wife Ashley are involved in the day to day operation. Daughters Hannah, a Boehringer Ingelheim representative in New York and Esther, a senior at K-State, also are owners at McCabe Genetics. This family believes that no industry in America has more growth possibilities available to those who want to work hard and be open to new and exciting opportunities than the business of producing beef.

Fink Beef Genetics began in 1977 with one cow, a total of $4,000 in cash and no owned land. A 99.9% artificially inseminated (AI) herd since the beginning, one of the largest embryo transplant programs in the U.S., and a networking of all segments of the cattle industry, plus old-fashioned cow sense, has driven this family-owned operation since 1977. The program has now grown into one of the top 25 largest seedstock operations ranked by the NCBA since 2004. They market approximately 700 bulls each year nationwide. Females are sold through production sales and private treaty.

Ranch raised, but real-world tough is Langford Hereford's legacy, 75 years in the making. Hard work and dedication make it possible for Langford Herefords to excel in fertility, EPDs and calm dispositions, all while offering satisfaction guaranteed.

Langford Herefords’ proven performance has allowed them to excel for years both in the show ring and in ranch pastures. Their productivity, eye appeal and functionality allows them to be successful time and again at national livestock shows including National Western, NAILE, Tulsa and Fort Worth.

Adability if the name of the game for the crew at 5L Ranch and their goal is to raise seedstock cattle that can work in the warmth of Florida or the rugged range of the Northwest. Their deep bodied, moderate females are expected to effeciently convert low qauility forages to high-value progeny. They sell 600 Red Angus bulls each year in auction and private treaty.

Bieber Red Angus was founded in 1968 in Leola, S.D. Craig and Peggy continue to make progress as they have built a successful herd of “Fault-Free Practical Cattle” over the last 30 years. Superior sires, including BKT Foro 1108AP, Choctaw Chief 373 and PRF Chiefton 7284 have carried their herd forward.

Hoffman Ranches is a family owned and operated cattle ranch near Thedford, Neb., that has over 50 years’ experience breeding top quality Hereford and Angus cattle. Dennis Hoffman began his career through the 4-H/FFA programs in Oregon and spent many years working for established purebred ranches breeding several national champions. These opportunities have created the knowledge necessary to build a fault free, low maintenance, and a highly functional cowherd.

Located in southwest Iowa, Nichols Farms is known for marketing bulls, semen and embryos around the world. All Nichols Farms’ franchises are family-operated and sell Nichols Beef Genetics and Nichols Value-Added Programs.

Over 50 years ago, Wulf Cattle was established as Leonard Wulf & Sons and began selling Limousin seedstock. LimFlex and Angus seedstock were later added to the herd. Wulf Cattle is recognized as one of National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Top 25 Seedstock Producers.

The herd consists of 1,500 registered cows. A.I. and embryo transfer programs are extensively used for each calf crop to produce quality beef, to increase heterosis and target specific markets. Each year, Wulf’s sell about 650 bulls. One Hundred replacement heifers sell with 300 replacement females kept from the crop. Carcass data is collected on 400 pedigreed feeder calves each year.

In 2007, Joe Bennett of BB Cattle Co. and Terry Tolbert of Nacogdoches, Texas, came together and decided that they could benefit the cattle industry by merging their knowledge of cattle production. With Joe’s experience in the registered Hereford breed business and Terry’s eastern Texas location, their partnership resulted in sales of registered Hereford cattle, along with some black Angus, to many folks in the central, eastern, and southern regions of the country.

Establishing a brand that customers, both commercial and purebred, can rely on is the foundation for Deer Valley Farm, Fayetteville, Tenn. From the onset of the first purchase of Limousin cattle at Deer Valley, and then later with the purchase of Angus cattle, the mission has always been to be a seedstock supplier of superior Angus and Limousin bulls.

Kelly, Martie, Kourtney and Kelsie Schaff are the faces behind Schaff Angus in Saint Anthony, N.D. The ranch was established in 1902, and the Schaffs have been raising registered Angus since 1942.

For over eight decades, the Schaff Angus cow herd has continued superior maternal selection. Schaff Angus has been built upon continuous selection pressure and uncompromising breeding commitment. The foundation of their program includes fertility, fleshing ease and udder quality, along with structure and phenotype and the ability to wean heavy calves under range conditions, year after year.

It truly takes the whole family to run Schiefelbein Farms in Kimball, Minn. Since establishment in 1955 by Frank Schiefelbein, the addition of nine sons, eight daughters-in-law, 32 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren continues to help drive the expanding operation.

Schiefelbein Farms is one of the largest registered Angus herds in the country, running more than 700 registered Angus cows, 4,200 acres of pasture and crops plus feeding hundreds of cattle each year.

KG Ranch was founded in 1978 in Three Forks, along the Jefferson River in Montana. Currently, KG Ranch runs 1,200 registered Angus mother cows. The KG Ranch herd bull inventory consists of bulls from Sitz Angus, Vermilion Ranch, Connealy Angus and KG Ranch. A.I. sires are matched based on environmental compatibility and proven genetics in order to enhance their breeding program.

Edgar Brothers Ranch thrives in the heart of central South Dakota, where they raise Angus cattle. Edgar Brothers markets their livestock as "cattle bred by cattlemen, for cattlemen." “For the past 60 years, our goals have stayed the same—to raise big, thick cattle that are functional. Our main aim is for the commercial cattleman, because after all, they are the heart and soul of the cattle industry.”

Krebs Ranch is an Angus operation in the Northwest corner of the legendary Nebraska ranch country. At Krebs Ranch, Angus reigns as “king of cattle,” and these cattle provide improved quality and added value—be it in a commercial cowherd, or in an entire breed with their dominant black hide, uniformity and high premium at sales. Crossing Angus with Simmental has given females added body depth, fleshing ease and udder quality, which is why Krebs Ranch recognized Angus Hybrid as a great choice in today’s niche markets.

Celebrating 92 years in the Angus business in 2015, the Sitz family remains committed to providing the progressive cowman with proven performance genetics using all performance tools that are available.

Today, Sitz Angus Ranch operates on locations near Harrison and Dillon, Mont., and offers a complete range of bulls in three age classes – yearlings, long yearlings and coming two year olds.

While firmly rooted today in Montana, the Sitz legacy began four generations ago in Nebraska when Will and Frieda Sitz purchased a handful of registered Angus heifers in 1923. The couple continued to grow the herd, and the operation later relocated to Longmont, CO, where son Bob farmed and raised registered Angus cattle. In the fall of 1959, Bob and his wife Donna decided Montana was their dream and they purchased the Harrison Ranch near Harrison.

Yon Family Farms is located in Ridge Spring, S.C. It is the Yon’s mission to “provide high quality, value-added cattle to satisfied customers who believe that honesty, quality, service, and value are synonymous with the name Yon Family Farms.”

The family is the basis of their successful cattle operation, and they enjoy keeping customers involved in their life on and off the farm through posting pictures and blog posts on their website.

Sturgis, S.D. is the hub where the Blair Brothers operate a successful Angus herd.

“Too many in the cattle business believe that you have to give up on certain traits in order to gain another. We disagree! We aim to breed cattle that will excel in the pasture, feedlot, and on the dinner plate.” By focusing on calving ease, maternal qualities, efficient growth, and marbling ability, the Blair Brothers have excelled in living out their mission.

Lucky Seven Angus, Boulder, Wyo., believes in producing rangeland cattle that can withstand tough conditions. A program where cattle are not pampered, not overfed, and raised under conditions as harsh as the cattlemen’s. Cows and bulls are raised on large, shortgrass pastures up to 38,000 acres and 10,000 feet in elevation. Structurally sound cattle on their feet and legs are needed in order for them to travel and graze many miles.

In 1994, due to a loophole in the Trade Act of 1992 between the U.S. and Japan, a small nucleus of Akaushi cows and bulls were brought to the United States in a specially equipped Boeing 747. Today, Akaushi genetics are controlled by a group of Texans under the name HeartBrand Beef, Inc.

As a result of a unique data processing closed system in Japan, the Akaushi breed is extremely uniform and consistent throughout the genetic lines for all carcass and palatability traits. Today, the uniformity of Akaushi carcass performance characteristics is superior to all Western beef cattle breeds.

Based in Iberia, Mo., with operations in Stockton and Huntsville, Circle A Angus Ranch runs 24,000 acres and 7,000 head. Established in 1991, Dave Gust and his family are now known nationwide. Living up to their great reputation, Circle A is known for its superior Angus genetics, customer service and excellence. Circle A Ranch is devoted to providing customers with only the best, because “Quality Beef is Our Business.”

Griswold Cattle is focused on genetics that bring full-blown maternal power to the table.

“Easy fleshing, big-bellied cattle, with beautiful udder structure and nice little teats; we like, and strive to raise, front pasture kind of cattle with the eye-catching correctness and balance that our program has become known for across the nation.”

Knoll Crest Farm is located in the beautiful rolling hills of southside Virginia since 1944. The family is firmly committed to delivering outstanding service to every customer. They conduct their business in a manner that demands providing only the very best genetics for our valued customers. Along with "value-added" genetics, they provide "value-added" service.

Salacoa Valley Farms is a division of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc. Located in Fairmont, Ga., Salacoa focuses on breeding high-quality Brangus cattle. Pictured females and sires can be viewed online along with their videos, EPDs and phenotypic traits.

Salacoa Valley Farms values the functionality, hardiness, disease resistance and outstanding maternal instincts that the Brangus breed offers. Their Brangus cattle thrive in the South and continue to be productive year after year. They breed for elite genetics which they can sell to other cattlemen and successfully implement into their own breeding program.

Upstream Ranch is owned and operated by Brent and Robin Meeks. Upstream Ranch is located just north of Taylor, Neb. in the midst of the Sandhills. Brent and Robin have two children, Marshall and Carlee.

Upstream Herefords originated in 1937 when Alfred bought some heifers from his father, JD Meeks. Now Upstream Ranch calves out 1,000 registered calves each year, with half calving in the spring, and half in the fall. They have a very intensive artificial insemination and embryo transfer program.

Cross Diamond Cattle Company, owned by Scott and Kim Ford of Bertrand, Neb., is a seedstock operation dedicated to raising top-quality Red Angus genetics, along with unsurpassed customer service to cattlemen and women throughout the nation.

“One of the keys to our growth and long-term success is our commitment to quality.” For this reason, they have developed 17 quality standards, which include everything from calving ease, disposition, fertility, structural soundness, and teat and udder quality, to efficient growth, carcass quality, and specific health standards. Flying H Genetics aims at “Eliminating the unacceptable, and guaranteeing the rest."

In North Platte, Neb., the Baldrige Brothers run a family-owned registered Angus operation. With business roots going back over 40 years, they currently calve over 400 registered Angus annually and are headquartered in the Platte Valley of west-central Nebraska where their cow herd is wintered. Then, they are moved to summer pasture in the nearby Nebraska Sandhills where they range in large pastures in cow-calf pairs.

Founded in 1937, Adams Ranch is a fourth-generation cattle business operating in St. Lucie, Madison, Okeechobee and Osceola Counties, headquartered in Fort Pierce, Fla.

As developers of the Braford breed of cattle, Adams Ranch is today one of the top producing cow-calf ranches in the United States. Adams Ranch is committed to preserving the natural vegetation, wildlife and its Florida heritage through environmental stewardship and a program of total ranch management. The Braford has been the heart of their cattle program because of solid values of maternal performance and heat tolerance.

Eagle Pass Ranch is located in Highmore, S.D. At Eagle Pass Ranch, they challenge themselves to do the impossible. This means they are always increasing their standards in order to provide customers with the best option in the Angus breed. Through close data inspection, and by focusing on sustainability and efficiency, they make sure to offer proven longevity in all of their cattle. Eagle Pass Ranch strives to provide “Innovative Genetics for the Progressive Cattleman.”

Beckton is one of the oldest ranches in the Sheridan, Wyo. area, lying in the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains. It came into Forbes ownership in 1899, and has only grown since then.

Beckton Red Angus has four basic production goals: to maximize the validity, usefulness and repeatability of their genetic information; to maximize the health and lifetime production capabilities of the sale animals; to maximize the sustainability of natural resources, and to do all of these things in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible. “Ultimately, our success is measured by the success of the producers who use our genetics.”

“A great herd requires good facilities, so I started from the ground up. Our sale barn was built with heart.” Evans Angus focuses on producing top-quality cattle under the Texas heat. Functionality, performance, and efficiency are all important players in the success of Evans Angus Farm.

Jamison Ranch is a family operation that has been raising top quality Hereford cattle for over 40 years. The Quinter, Kan., operation is based on meeting the needs of the commercial cattleman, as their cattle are bred for efficiency, soundness and muscling, with an emphasis on maternal traits.

Jamison Ranch’s registered Hereford cattle run in the hard grass country of western Kansas. Herd sires include CL 1 Domino 0157K, HH Advance 286M, CL 1 Domino 555R, CL 1 Domino 860U and many more which can be viewed, along with pictures, EPDs and pedigrees on the Jamison Ranch website.

Bill King Ranch is located in Stanley, N.M., located 40 miles east of Albuquerque. On their website you can view past show successes at the New Mexico State Fair, as well as their sale cattle.

The herd of Hereford cattle has been compiled from many great sires and dams over the years. It was begun in 1968 with just a moderate-sized herd, but grew quickly in size and quality. Many dams trace back to the bulls Mischief 840, Solid Gold and Pure Gold. Bill King Ranch offers over 350 cows, 100 replacement heifers, and 150 bulls for sale annually.

Thomas Ranch is located in eastern Sully County in South Dakota, and is a fourth generation farming and ranching operation. Harry, Kay, Troy, VeaBea and Cally Thomas comprise and run the day-to-day business at the ranch.

Thomas Ranch is home to 200 purebred Charolais mother cows, 450 purebred Angus mother cows and 350 commercial cows. Thomas Ranch has brought home multiple winners from the American Royal, as well as from the National Western Stock Show.

Blackwater Cattle Co. is a registered and commercial Brangus cattle operation located in Lake Park, Ga. They are a family run business, with a cattle program led by Mike Coggins and Tracy Holbert. The operation is founded on the philosophy of “quality is mandatory, produce the best product possible, and treat people right.”

Pendleton, Ore., is known for more than just one of the country’s most historic rodeos. It’s also home to one of the country’s largest Red Angus seedstock operations.

And the operation continues to cement its place in the seedstock business. Lorenzen Ranches earned the prestigious GridMaster award at the 2014 National Red Angus Convention. The Red Angus Association of America (RAAA) presents the GridMaster Award to producers and feeders owning cattle that meet and exceed strict carcass quality specifications.

Green Mountain Angus Ranch is a family-owned and operated business which began in 1973. The family outgrew their South Dakota ranch and moved to Montana in 1981.

For over 40 years, Green Mountain Angus Ranch has been committed to providing superior seedstock for the commercial producer. They value low birth weight with high growth to accelerate a strong immune system. Calving ease, disposition and carcass merit are closely evaluated at Green Mountain Angus.

Judd Ranch is located in east-central Kansas. The Judd family raises registered Gelbvieh, Red Angus and Balancers. David and Cindy Judd started the operation in 1981 with the goal of producing profitable and functional genetics for commercial cattlemen.

Today, they are honored to be the American Gelbvieh Associations number-one breeder and owner of Dams of Merit and Dams of Distinction for 19 of the past 20 years. Their females are highly fertile, moderately framed, and very productive; and their bulls are deep-bodied, thick and structurally sound.

Felton Angus is a family operation that has been raising registered Angus cattle since 1952. Located in scenic Big Sky Country, they ranch on the banks of the Yellowstone River in Springdale, Mont. and on the Tongue River in Miles City, Mont.

Ralph E. Sydenstricker established Sydenstricker Angus Farms in 1952 at Paris, Mo. The farm has been producers of registered Angus seedstock since that time.

SydGen has utilized the same headquarters location south of Mexico, Mo., in north-central Missouri, since 1966. They currently calve about 800 head, of which 20-25% are embryo transplant calves. SydGen has a 65-day spring breeding season and a 50-day fall breeding season.

With an unrelenting focus on functionality, maternal, and performance genetics that allow their customers to meet their profitability goals - Byergo Angus has stood the test of time. They have had 69 years in the business breed where they host annual bull sales every February and October.

The Gill Ranch began in the late 60s. In 1979, they bought their first registered Red Angus cattle from the Enid School dispersion. The foundation herd consisted of mainly Chief-bred females, which has provided the basis for the great maternal herd they have today.

From the beginning, Gill Ranch’s main goal has been to raise a maternal and performance-oriented cowherd. They feel that their herd has as much or more performance than any other herd no matter what the breed. Gill Ranch strives to raise big-butted bulls and easy-keeping cows. The mature weight of the cows in their herd is around 1,350 lbs.

Running Creek Ranch has been raising Limousin cattle since 1979. Over the last several years, they have registered more Limousin cattle than any other seedstock producer. “Quality in volume” is the underlying drive behind their successful program.

82 | Pine Coulee

Owner: Jim Stampfel

Location: Absarokee, MT

Phone: 406-780-1230

Email: pinecoulee@outlook.com

Website: www.pinecoulee.com

Breed: Angus

2019 Sale Date: March 11

Sale Type: Auction, Private Treaty

Number of Bulls Sold: 275

Replacement Heifers: Yes, 250

Hinman Angus at Malta, Mont., is a family operation that got its start in 1973 when Dave & Yvonne purchased their first bred heifers from Lund’s B Bar Angus in Wibaux, Mont. Shortly after that, they purchased a group of bred heifers from Hyline Angus. Since then, registered Angus cattle have been their livelihood.

MR Angus Ranch was established in 1977 at Tie Siding, Wyo. by Juan and Joni Reyes. The original cowherd consisted of 12 registered Angus cows with Eileenmere bloodlines. Ranching at over 8,000 feet, it was quickly evident that finding a cowherd with the right genetics and conformation was of upmost importance to survive at high altitude. Today’s herd consists of over 1,200 head.

Located along the Snake River just southeast of Boise, Idaho, the Colyer Ranch focuses on Hereford and Angus production. It is their mission to produce superior carcass animals and still keep the maternal aspects of the two breeds in balance. “By identifying those highly heritable traits and selecting for them, I think we can make a lot of progress in a short time.”

Lindskov-Thiel (LT) Ranch is located on the high plains of western South Dakota about 60 miles west of the Missouri River at Isabel. The purebred herd, including 250 Charolais and 200 Angus females, runs on native, short-grass pastures where the annual rainfall is 16 inches and 20 to 25 acres are needed to run a cow.

Arntzen Angus is an agriculturally diversified ranch that works hard on both farming and ranching. It is home to 650 registered cows and 100 commercial cows. Their registered cattle are handled very similar to their commercial herd. They prefer cattle that can take care of themselves, calve unassisted, wean a 650-700 lb. calf, and breed back. Arntzen strives for easy-calving, good maternal, easy- fleshing cattle with calm dispositions, and they are also working to incorporate the best carcass traits possible.

With success in the show ring and in the production barn, Magness Land and Cattle operates out of Platteville, Colo. and markets approximately 300 commercial bulls each year in addition to purebred sales. Magness Land and Cattle values feeding and carcass history, helps with managing cattle health and nutrition, and provides marketing options in the same affordable package they have been delivering since inception.

Founded in 1975, Gateway Simmental is a family-owned and operated ranch managed by Jim and Tom Butcher and their families. Jim’s family consists of his wife Lynn, and four children—Logan, Austin, Brockton and Gracie. Tom’s family includes his wife, Denise, and five children—Tyler, Colton, Jordan, and twins Emily and Avery.

Poss Angus is a family-owned operation managed similar to neighboring commercial operations in central Nebraska. A leading-edge genetics production sale is held in Ericson, Neb., every fourth Friday in March, where 200 to 225 bulls and females are marketed. Large sire groups of progeny by the breed's leading A.I. sires are featured and sell with the "Poss Angus Guarantee."

TC Ranch of Franklin, Neb. strives to put together a package of sound, balanced genetic traits in their registered Angus cattle. This operation was built from the ground up by Vance and Connie Uden and their son, Dru. The ranch continues to be family-owned and operated by Connie and Dru.

The Gartner-Denowh Angus Ranch has two locations in eastern Montana. The home place is just north of Sidney, Mont.

Gartner-Denowh Angus calves around 700 cows and heifers each year, and it is their expectation that their cows run under the same conditions that the local commercial producer endures. They fall graze and feed a low-cost, low-energy diet to weed out any inefficient cows. Cows that can't function on a low input system in the environment are culled from the herd.

Cow Camp Ranch is a multi-breed seedstock supplier located on the western edge of the Kansas Flint Hills grasslands. They have been raising cattle for four generations and have been heavily involved in the Simmental breed since 1970. During that time, crossbreeding became an important and essential tool at Cow Camp Ranch, and they have incorporated the Angus and Red Angus breeds into their program.

94 | Flying U Angus Ranch

Owner: Mike Umbarger

Location: Powell Butte, OR

Phone: 541-771-6100

Breed: Angus

Sale Month: All Year

Sale Type: Private Treaty

Number of Bulls Sold: 250

Replacement Heifers: Yes

95 | Hinman Angus

Owner: Dave Hinman

Location: Malta, MT

Phone: 406-654-4656

Email: hinmanangus@hotmail.com

Website: hinmanangus.com

Breed: Angus

Sale Date: April 2

Sale Type: Auction

Number of Bulls Sold: 250

Replacement Heifers: Yes, 220

Hinman Angus at Malta, Mont., is a family operation that got its start in 1973 when Dave & Yvonne purchased their first bred heifers from Lund’s B Bar Angus in Wibaux, Mont. Shortly after that, they purchased a group of bred heifers from Hyline Angus. Since then, registered Angus cattle have been their livelihood.

The Townsend Ranch/TBeef was founded by Herb and Connie Townsend. They raised their three children, Tod, Trent, and Teri on the ranch. Tod and Trent built on to the ranch and they all still operate it today. The ranch now has four generations on it.

TBeef is the seedstock portion of the ranch. TBeef produces SimAngus bulls that average in the top 2% for profitability in the nation according to the All Purpose Index and/or the Terminal Index. TBeef offers the bulls private treaty as well as through a membership program in which producers pay an annual fee and TBeef meets the producer’s bull needs. All available bulls can be found at www.tbeef.com.

A long-time fixture in the commercial cattle business, Tanner Farms began incorporating Angus bulls to improve the quality of their calf crop. The change in genetics helped correct deficiencies for better appeal to buyers. Pleased with their first Angus pair, Tanner Farms began to invest more heavily in high-quality genetics to produce a better product and began to look for a place to expand their cattle operation. “We saw first-hand the evidence to support excellent genetics and began increasing our registered Angus herd.”

Leadore Angus calls Leadore, Idaho, home. Raising functional cattle is the number-one priority of Leadore Angus. The way they handle their Angus is what makes the cattle the high-performing animals that they are. The cattle have to hustle to make a living, and they do not get pampered. Every female on the ranch functions on a full-forage diet, never receiving even a single handful of grain.

Located at the southern most tip of the Fescue belt in Central Alabama, CK Cattle is a multi-generation family operation that supports three families. The ranch breeds, raises and sells all of their own bulls, developed on forage-based rations. Their fall production sale is held annually the last Friday in October and they also sell genetics via private treaty.